SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The National Collegiate Athletic Association released its 2012 Public Recognition Awards for schools ranking in the top 10 percent of all Division I teams in their respective sport today (June 14). A total of 39 Southern Conference programs from nine league members garnered the award.

Teams honored by the NCAA earned multiple Academic Progress Report (APR) scores in the top 10 percent for the past four years. The most recent APR scores are multi-year rates based on the scores from the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years. The public recognition awards are part of the overall Division I academic reform effort.

"We congratulate those student-athletes and coaches who achieved this success," said SoCon Commissioner John Iamarino. "It's noteworthy that eight of these programs were also skilled enough to participate in NCAA postseason competition."

Seventeen men's programs in the SoCon earned the Public Recognition Award, surpassing last year's total of 13. Twenty-two women's programs from eight different sports earned the award. Davidson led all SoCon schools with 10 teams earning the Public Recognition Award, while Wofford had seven teams honored. Seven league schools had multiple programs earn the award, while four members had at least one men's and one women's program earn NCAA recognition.